


The Stand-In

by oFFs



Series: Of Geniuses and Other Remarkable Individuals [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (but it's not that important), Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Arno and Tony are brothers, Blind Date, First Dates, Insecure Tony, M/M, No Arc Reactor, Omegaverse, Secret Identity, Stark Brothers AU, unspecified Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27611564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oFFs/pseuds/oFFs
Summary: It’s not the first time Tony’s brother asked him to fill in for him on a blind date, but it is the first time he’s wished the date wasn’t for Arno.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Of Geniuses and Other Remarkable Individuals [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019152
Comments: 22
Kudos: 273





	The Stand-In

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DeanisBatman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeanisBatman/gifts).



> ABO but it’s a secondary thing and not super important to the story. Neither this nor any other potential installments to this universe will include dubcon or noncon in any form. That’s just not the sort of omegaverse I’m personally interested in writing (though I’ve read and enjoyed plenty). 
> 
> For any who are waiting for the next chapter of Eidetic Image, I'm working on it, I swear--I just had to give in to the urge to write this little piece first. That's enough of me. I hope you all are staying well and staying safe. Enjoy the story! -oFFs

Tony’s first thought as he showed up for his brother’s blind date was _‘oh, no, he’s hot.’_ Granted, it wasn’t the first time. Arno got set up with a lot of attractive people. After all, he was _the_ Arno Stark, head of Stark Industries and Alpha Bachelor of the Year five years running–-who on earth who set him up with someone ugly? 

It was only twenty minutes into the date and halfway through their appetizers before Tony got to _‘shit, he’s nice.’_ He excused himself to the bathroom.

 _“That was quick,”_ Arno stated dryly as his face appeared on Tony’s phone screen. _“This might be a new record.”_

Arno was nearly two years older than Tony, although they looked enough alike to pass as twins to anyone who didn’t know either of them well. Which was all but about five people. Arno had long been the face of SI; the public at large tended to forget Tony even existed. For the most part, Tony preferred it that way. It allowed him to work in his lab in peace.

“No, it’s not––” Tony huffed. “We’re still eating. I’m calling because I really think you should come finish this date yourself.”

On the screen, Arno looked up from the paperwork on his desk and arched a brow. _“The whole reason I had you go in my stead is because I’m already busy.”_

“Which you really need to start telling Pepper, instead of sending me to scare them away,” Tony pointed out. “But look, Arno, this guy Steve, he seems really great. He’s an alpha, easy on the eyes, great conversationalist… So far, he ticks all your boxes. I don’t think you’re going to do any better.”

 _“You date him, then, if he’s so great,”_ his brother drawled.

“I can’t do that––he already thinks that I’m you! What am I supposed to say? ‘Hey, I know you think you’re meeting Arno, but he sent me, his little-known brother Tony. Oh, and by the way, he got all the charm and social skills. Wanna date me, instead?’”

 _“Then don’t tell him, Tony. God, you’re so dramatic,”_ Arno sighed. _“Look, just be yourself and make sure he doesn’t want a second date. Is that so much to ask? I’m hanging up.”_ He did just that without giving Tony a chance to respond.

“Prick,” Tony muttered, feeling a little stung. Because that was the crux of the matter: Tony was generally considered obnoxious and socially inept. It was why having him fill in for Arno on an unwanted date was so effective. 

He turned his head when he thought he heard the door close, but no one had entered the bathroom, so maybe it had been something else. Pocketing his phone, Tony headed back out to the table. Arno’s date looked up as he approached.

“Hey,” Steve greeted with a smile, “everything alright?” And damned if the man didn’t have the most earnest blue eyes Tony had ever seen. 

“Yeah, fine. Sorry about that,” Tony replied. “I had to take a call. Life of a CEO: work’s never done.”

“Of course,” said Steve with a nod. Tony resumed his seat and they both turned back to their meals.

#

The first thing Steve had noticed about his date was the man’s eyes, a pair of gorgeous, whiskey brown pools which shone keenly from his handsome face. And Nat had definitely understated the man’s attractiveness. Though, perhaps he shouldn’t have been surprised. Howard had been a handsome man, himself, and this was Howard’s son.

The next thing to catch his notice was the faint note which indicated the use of an artificial scent masker. It was a subtle thing. Most people wouldn’t even notice. Granted, most people didn’t have Steve’s super soldier senses, either. 

It meant that Stark wasn’t actually an alpha. Not that Steve particularly cared about that, but it was curious. People in the future didn’t seem to put much stock in one dynamic being better or worse than another. That aside, Howard certainly hadn’t––the beta had had a whole repertoire of rants regarding the absurdity of such notions. 

Whatever the reason, Steve decided it was definitely not a question for a first date. The businessman was more than entitled to his privacy. Besides, bringing it up would require explaining how he’d even noticed and Steve wasn’t exactly ready to out himself as Captain America, just yet. 

Steve tried not to worry too much when Stark rushed off to the restroom early on into their meal. He was pretty sure he hadn’t managed to say anything too strange. When the other man had been gone for several minutes, however, Steve decided to go check on him.

 _“-im, then, if he’s so great,”_ Stark’s voice was saying as Steve quietly pushed open the door to the men’s room. Though it sounded off, like it was coming over an audio feed.

“I can’t do that,” the man exclaimed from inside the room itself, “he already thinks that I’m you!”

Holding onto the edge of the door, Steve stepped a little farther into the room so he could peek around the wall into the room proper. Stark was talking to his phone, a live feed of a man that looked just like him on the little screen. He paced a bit as he talked, gesticulating with his free hand.

“What am I supposed to say?” the man continued. “‘Hey, I know you think you’re meeting Arno, but he sent me, his little-known brother Tony. Oh, and by the way, he got all the charm and social skills. Wanna date me, instead?’”

Steve did recall reading that Howard had had a younger son, as well. _‘More academically accomplished than both his father and elder brother,’_ he recalled from the assessment on the youngest Stark, _‘but somewhat reclusive. He prefers the company of machines to people.’_ If Steve was actually meeting with the younger brother instead of the older one he’d been set up with, it could easily explain the scent masker.

It was also rather rude. If Stark couldn’t be bothered to show up for his own blind date, he shouldn’t have agreed to it in the first place. Steve himself had only really agreed so Natasha would stop offering to hook him up, but at least he had shown up.

 _“Then don’t tell him, Tony,”_ Arno, presumably, told Tony in a tone of bored impatience. _“God, you’re so dramatic.”_

Steve heard Tony make a noise of quiet protest as he backed out the door. 

_“Look, just be yourself and make sure he doesn’t want a second date. Is that so much to ask? I’m hanging up.”_

The blond paused at that, not so much at the older Stark’s words, but at the spike of hurt that had soured his younger brother’s scent in response to them, the softly uttered “prick” tugging oddly at his heart. He let the door shut the rest of the way and hurried back to the table. He’d decided that he wouldn’t let the date go to waste. At the very least, maybe he and Tony could be friends.

So, when Tony came back, Steve accepted the response he gave to his question, letting the brunet continue acting as his brother for the time. They exchanged what still seemed to be typical first date pleasantries. By the time they'd reached dessert, however, Steve was sure that Tony had shared more about himself than his brother. He also couldn’t imagine how Arno’s advice that Tony ‘be himself’ was meant to discourage a second date if this was Tony being _himself._

Tony had no problem carrying the conversation any time Steve got quiet, but he also listened any time Steve did talk. And sure, sometimes what the man had to say went right over Steve’s head, but that was true about a lot of things these days, and anything Steve couldn’t piece together from context Tony readily explained when Steve asked. Tony was smart and he possessed a dry, sarcastic sort of humor that really resonated with Steve.

After they had paid and were walking out of the restaurant, Steve was absolutely certain he did not want to be only friends with the man.

“Right, so,” Tony said, hands shoved into the pockets of his pants as he rocked back onto his heels. “That was… nice.”

“It was,” Steve replied sincerely. “When can I see you again?”

The brunet abruptly stopped fidgeting to stare up at him in surprise. “I’m sorry, what?”

Steve ducked his head––little good that it did with their height difference––fighting back a small smile and the flush that was threatening his cheeks. He was glad that he was the only one who could hear the way his heart was hammering in his chest. “I said, when can I see you again? At least, I’m hoping I can?”

“But… I talked too much,” Tony pointed out almost suspiciously, “and too fast and way too technically.”

“I didn’t mind. It was interesting.”

“I spent like forty minutes on a tangent about advanced robotics and the melting point of various precious metals and even I’m not sure how I got there,” the man reminded him.

Steve shrugged a shoulder, “You seemed really into what you were saying.”

“Well, I gesticulate too much.”

“I find it kind of endearing,” countered Steve.

Tony narrowed his eyes at him. “Did I even remember to ask you about yourself? Pretty sure I just talked about me,” he said challengingly.

“Ask me next time.”

“And if I forget?”

“Then I’ll volunteer the information,” Steve replied, then asked, “Do you not want to go out with me again?”

“No! I mean, yes––it’s not that I don’t, I just…” Tony stammered and he looked so very like a deer caught in the headlights. Steve barely fought back the urge to kiss the poor, endearing man.

“Is that a yes or a no?” he inquired, infusing a note of teasing into his tone.

“It’s a ‘why,’” answered the brunet. “I don’t get it. Nobody ever––why would you want to go out again?”

“Because I like what I’ve learned so far,” Steve answered simply, “and I’d really like to learn more.”

Tony stared at him for another long moment, beautiful eyes studying his features before dropping away as he ducked his head. He’d resumed fidgeting in place. “Oh… kay, um,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “I’ve got stuff, but I could do… Wednesday evening. If you’re free. If not, we could always––” 

“Wednesday would be perfect,” Steve assured.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“You know, before we go through with this, you should really know––” the brunet began.

Steve cut in smoothly, “—that you’re Tony, not Arno.” Wide whiskey eyes stared up at him again, and Steve offered a chagrined smile. “I kinda overheard the last bit of your conversation in the bathroom.”

“But you didn’t say anything,” Tony said incredulously.

“Neither did you,” Steve pointed out, then offered another shrug. “I still wanted to get to know you, and I thought maybe you’d just leave if you knew I knew.”

“I… might have,” the shorter man conceded. His brows furrowed together. “You really want to go on another date? With me?”

“I really, really do,” Steve told him earnestly, “if that’s something you would like.”

Tony peered up at him, a shy little smile pulling at his mouth. “You know what?” he replied, “I really, really would.”


End file.
